Windows 10: Windows 10 20H2 sysprep image deployment issue

Last year I upgraded windows 10 1809 to 2004 on a Dell Latitude 5510. I sysprepped the image and I have been deploying it to different model Dells without any problem.

Now I upgraded that 2004 image to 20H2. Update was successful, sysprep runs successfully and laptop shuts down. When I reboot the same laptop or deploy the sysprepped image to other computers, they start to boot and then I get a message "Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer, restart the installation." I hit enter and the laptop reboots, this loop continues.

I had problems with sysprep in the past, usually it ended with a blue screen, I have never seen this error.

Latest updates are applied after the upgrade to 20H2. Any helps would be appreciated.

:)

 

Customize Windows 10 Image in Audit Mode with Sysprep  


Hi,

I have the same Problem like CanadianGooses with the Search-Bar using the LTSB-Release and the audit-mode.

(Windows 10 Image - Customize in Audit Mode with Sysprep - Page 32 - Windows 10 Forums)

But only, if the image is deployed as a part of a iso-file. How do you deploy your wim-file? Has anyone found a solution?


Thanks und greetings from Germany - .

 

Customize Windows 10 Image in Audit Mode with Sysprep  

Step 1: Add Shell-Setup\UserAccounts\LocalAccounts to Pass 5:


Step 2: Add (insert) a new local account:


Step 3: Enter Description, Display name, Group and Username (notice that display name and username don't have to be the same. Username will be the name of the profile and profile folder in Users folder, display name will be shown in Welcome and Start):


Step 4: Expand the user in Answer File pane, add password:

 

Customised Windows 10 deployment on multiple desktops and laptops.

OK, after giving this a thought and thinking how I would do it, here's my suggestion. Please notice that, as I said, this is how I would do it. Other geeks might disagree with parts or all of it.

I tested this scenario using one Hyper-V VM as technician machine (the one to build image) and three virtual machines to test simultaneous deployment in two scenarios:

• Capturing install.wim from technician machine and using DISM to apply / deploy image from a network share
• Capturing install.wim from technician machine, making ISO from it, deploying by clean installing from ISO burned to Flash drive

Based on the fact that ISO method is clearly faster and simpler, it is what I suggest to you. I estimate you would need an hour and half to two hours to customize install image, capture it and make an ISO, then assuming you would make 5 Flash drives for install / deployment you would need about half an hour per five machines, in other words you would deploy to those 25 new machines in less than three hours, almost a full working day to deploy those 50 existing ones.

Two working days, day 1 to make the image and deploy to new machines, day 2 to deploy to old ones.

Chronological workflow based on my suggestion:

Phase 1, Image customization tutorial, parts One through Six:

• Install Windows 10 on a technician machine (I recommend Hyper-V VM but any capable PC is OK)
• Boot to Audit Mode
• Update Windows, install software, customize & personalize Windows
• Sysprep

Phase 2:

• Capture the install.wim from technician machine as told in this tutorial, Part Four steps 4.1 through 4.5 (physical PC as technician machine) or Part Four steps 4.6 through 4.13 (Hyper-V VM as technician machine)
• Create ISO as told in same tutorial, Part Five
• Burn / write ISO to as many Flash drives as you want to / need to for simultaneous installs
• Boot production machines from Flash drive, install Windows 10

The above is how I would do this. If you choose the DISM method instead, applying install.wim from a network share, see this Microsoft support article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../hh824910.aspx

For more advanced deployment using MDT see this article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../dn475741.aspx